Chapter Seven: Learning Never Did Any Harm

They had to dig a hole. First, the shovels hit frozen ice. It took a long time to get through that. Then, once the ice was out of the way, they shoved the tip of the shovel through the dark brown dirt. Alice was standing in the large courtyard, this being her first time back there. Bobby and Cara worked together, now standing waist deep in the body-sized trench.

Terry was wrapped in his blanket. The two climbed out, walking over to the body and lifting him on each end into the ditch. Alice had never attended a real funeral before, if you didn't count her mother's death. But she was a baby then, couldn't even remember.

This, she would remember. Her thoughts selfishly dove to her father. She longed to have a proper burial for him. Bobby started placing the dirt back in, while Cara began to break down again, her sobs echoing around them.

The hole was full, sticking up like a small mound. The dirt clashed with all the white around it. Grey skies made the mood even more gloomy as everyone silently stared at the burial sight of their friend. Their family.

"Terry was....a good guy," Bobby started. He began to choke up too. Gary stepped up, although weak, and began a speech of his own.

"Terry was my uncle. He was my friend. He was our family. I'm sorry it had to be this way, but I think he'd be happy if we kept going. Just like previous casualties, we must find the strength to just, keep, going."

The world spun around Alice. He was right; For Terry. For Dad. She wouldn't stop until she took her last breath.

Everyone entered back indoors. Alice lingered a while longer, staring up at the apartment buildings surrounding them. The courtyard was narrow and long, closed off at all corners by the apartments surrounding it. She wondered if anyone else occupied the rooms above her head. She was surprised these people didn't choose a room at the top floor. Wouldn't it be safer? She pressed the snow around her down with the tip of her foot, making medium sized footprints all over.

She pressed her foot in the dirt over the grave, into the shape of a heart. Terry was gone, but not forgotten.

___________________________________________________________________________

The next morning was quiet.

Everyone was quiet.

Alice hadn't been told to do any chores, although when she thought about it, Terry was the only one who'd ever asked her to do something. He was always nice about it, and she never minded the work.

Everyone did what they had to for the day. It was just really, really silent.

Alice decided Felicia needed help. Her job was to go out and clean the traps on the street block. See if any animals or walkers were caught last night. Felicia didn't complain that Alice tagged along, so the two headed out the front door and up the steps to the lovely overgrown and rundown building surrounding the area.

As soon as Felicia saw the way Alice had reacted to holding the gun, she asked,"You ever shoot one before?"

Alice nervously stayed still, then shook her head,"No, ma'am. I never even held one before."

Refraining from exasperation, Felicia took this opportunity to teach the girl and keep her mind off the heavy stuff going on.

"Well, first thing's first. You gotta hold it with more confidence in yourself."

"What if I hurt someone? Or myself?"

"You won't if you know what you're doing," She responded.

"But I don't know what I'm doing!" Alice argued.

"You will, as soon as I'm done teachin' you. Now, follow me this way."

Alice abided to Felicia's command, following the older woman past a few parked cars. At the end of the last one, she came to a halt and pointed toward the ground.

Alice looked. An unused trap lay there.

"Look out for them. There's a lot. We reset them every couple days, re-bait them, what not. Whatever animals don't hibernate, we catch. And we also catch the walkers who ain't frozen," She grimaced after that last sentence.

Alice nodded in compliance, and followed her teacher further down.

"There should be a trap every 30 or so feet, most of the time in more hidden spots. A few out in the open, for the stupid ones. There we are," Felicia pointed ahead of herself.

Alice looked over. A walker, caught in a trap. It squirmed and made noises and look absolutely ugly nasty looking.

"Shoot him." Felicia said.

"Like, pull the trigger?"

"That's how it's done. Aim for the head, shoot it. If you wanna get closer, you can."

Alice shook her head, taking a stance. She lifted the gun up. It was extremely heavy and hard to keep steady. She gulped and said,"All I know how to do is fish, I can't- I don't have the guts to do it."

"Bull s**t you don't have the guts. Listen girl, I don't know what your daddy did to protect your a*s all these years, but he's not here anymore which means you don't get the protection he provided anymore. I'm sorry if it hurts your damn feelings, but you gotta learn to survive on your own. God knows how long the rest of us have. At least you'll have more of a fighting chance."

Although the speech made Alice a little upset, she understood. She gripped the handle tighter, gulping again and aiming a little more. She shot the gun and fell backward.

"Ahh!" She said, her butt falling back into the snow.

"Not bad, at least you got the sucker. You need to support yourself like this-" She demonstrated the stance that Alice should take,"-Just until you get the hang of the throwback these things do to ya. Soon enough, you'll be shootin' zombies like it's just an FPS!" Felicia laughed. Alice didn't get the joke.

They checked the rest of the traps, and luckily, there were no other zombies. Unfortunately, there were no animals either.

"It's alright. We got plenty of deer for a few weeks. We'll hold over." They headed back to the apartment. Felicia told Alice how to lock the gun, and told her to keep it on her when she went outside, especially if she was alone. Alice nodded, tucking the gun away in the first drawer of her end table.

She realized that she would have to listen, because she knew it was the only way she would survive.